|
 Blame
its narrow alleys, blame the tall buildings, blame
what you want - the truth lies in Fossati's words,
the only way to get a complete view of Genoa is
to take to sea. We decided to ignore the illustrious
singer's advice and take you on a trip through
Genoa's backstreets and alleys - we may not get
an overall view of the city but we will capture
some of its unique flavour.
Take a walk through Genoa's winding backstreets
and alleys –caruggi in the local dialect
- and you'll be in for a pleasant surprise. Each
corner you turn opens up into something new, something
different - stone steps lead to mysterious houses
and new streets to discover, churches materialise
before your eyes and squares, heavy with geraniums,
shed light into the dark lanes.
Genoa
is affectionately known as la Superba,
(the Haughty One). Perched on a series of hills,
the Haughty One has been humbled by a myriad of
open wounds - building sites which shame the city's
most prominent squares and monuments. However
there is a still a part of Genoa untouched by
the speculators - the backstreets and lanes, overrun
by the rats and mice that seem to populate the
city in the early hours of the morning.
Let's explore this maze of streets, turning off
Via XX Settembre (one of Genoa's main shopping
streets) into Piazza De Ferrari. Then it's
into Vico Falamonica and off down hill
- mind the cobbles if you're wearing heels. The
stark neon light at the end of the street marks
one of the area's best Arab restaurants, Nabil,
a sure sign we've crossed over into a different
world. Corner shops alternate with ethnic bazaars.
The flavours and smells of exotic lands mix with
traditional Ligurian fare as we pass from focaccia
al formaggio to farinata di Tristano e
Isotta. We've reached Vico del Fieno,
the start of the old centre proper - and one of
Europe's largest old quarters - which nowadays
is mostly home to immigrants - faces from faraway
lands that have brought their music and memories
to Genoa.
Our next stop is Piazza
Soziglia which lead us to Vico della Neve,
home to one of Genoa's most famous music bars
- that's it with the blue neon light - where you'll
be likely to rub shoulders with some of Genoa's
most famous singer/songwriters. We're now
in Piazza
Campetto, originally a cultivated field -
hence the name, then one-time commercial hub of
the city thanks to its goldsmiths (fraveghi
in the local dialect), smiths and craftsmen who
supplied the thriving port. Outside the square's
cafés business men sit side by side with
punks and old-style Genoa walks alongside its
new immigrant face.
Want to splurge some money on Italian sophistication
and style? Turn right at the far side of the square
into Via di Scurreria, which was built
on the remains of an ancient Roman burial site,
and you'll be spoilt for choice. This is the essence
of Genoa - a city where designer shops shine in
dirty streets, chaos turns to silence, shyness
and self restraint is thrown into the Mediterranean
as it welcomes travellers into its port.
It's time to move on to the elegant Galleria
Imperiale, where antique-collectors will enjoy
a browse, and - who knows - may even pick up a bargain.
The atmosphere changes once more as we head for
the market in Piazza
Banchi-Sestiere Molo, with its flower
sellers, fruit stalls, pictures and second-hand
books. The church of San Pietro in Banchi seems
suspended in the middle of the square, surrounded
by banks and credit unions …
The smell of sea air wafts towards us and every
so often we catch glimpses of the port and the absurd
bypass that divides this city in two. We're only
a stone's throw from the docks and the brightly
coloured porticoes where fishmongers sell the day's
catch and you can feast on calamari, octopus and
anchovies from the takeaways. The magnificent Palazzo
San Giorgio is on the left while on the right there's
Vico del Serriglio and the Maddalena Quarter
- areas where most people will advise you against
visiting - especially if you don't look local -
but who can resist the heavenly food at Trattoria
Vegia Zena?
 Feeling
tired? No problem, just jump on a bus in Piazza
Caricamento and you'll be back where you started
in a matter of minutes. If, however, you've still
got some energy to spare, we can walk back through
new, uncharted streets. Let's take Vico delle
Compere which cuts through Piazza de Marini
and winds on until Vico degli Indoratori
where we can sit with the cats and soak up the silence.
The streets coil like a snake, soundless yet throbbing
with life and energy, as we make our way up to Piazza
San Matteo, once the headquarters of one of
Genoa's most important families – the Dorias
– who built their family chapel here in 1125. The
church, built in the classical black and white Genoese
style, was dedicated to Saint Matthew, the patron
saint of tax collectors.
Look around, those galleries look familiar. We're
back in Vico Falamonica which brings us to Piazza
De Ferrari. And the circle closes . . . until the
next trip begins.
>>back:
Italy through the
eyes of the artists
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THE SURVIVOR'S 
